Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 21

Happy Sunday stampers! This week's hostess at Stampin' Sisters in Christ is Pamela and our sponsor again is Simon Says Stamp. Great storefront, I've always had excellent service from them. One lucky winner this week will win a lovely wedding stamp set as pictured on the main SSIC blog. Hmm, I have a daughter getting married . . . could come in handy!

Pamela's chosen verse this week is Hosea 6:1 "Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds." The challenge is to make the broken look beautiful . . . create a mosaic, or tear apart and stitch back teogether. In some way, have your image look broken.

There was a great tutorial for a mosaic technique on Splitcoast Stampers a few weeks ago. For myself, I have chosen to do the cracked glass technique. It is a favorite of mine. And I found this lovely sketch on the Taylored Expressions blog, its her sketch challenge for the week, #97.

Hosea is such an interesting, sometimes confusing but always beautiful book of the bible filled with a message of hope. We are represented in Hosea's wife who keeps on sinning and yet each time, the Lord takes us back. If you haven't been into Hosea lately, spend some time there. I read a wonderful book by Francine Rivers based on Hosea called Redeeming Love. If you want a really good read (and we're deep in snow, so what better activity for a snowy weekend afternoon than either stamping, or curling up with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book?), pick this one up and make sure you have some tissue handy.

I can't tell you how often I mess up in my walk and feel like a cracked vessel. The Lord is calling to each of us, every day. No matter what you have done, no matter what you might be tempted to do in the future, God's mercy and love never fails. The blood of Jesus Christ can wash away your sins and take that cracked image you might see in the mirror and make it whole again. He has done that for me and He can do that for you. Ask any one of us on the design team and we'd be happy to pray with you or tell you our own personal story of God's redeeming love. Thanks for looking.

Stamps: Inkadinkado bird

Ink: Tim Holtz vintage photo, weathered wood

Paper: Bo Bunny, SU Pomegranate, PTI Ocean Tides

Other: versamark pad, clear EP (I applied six layers), sponge, ribbon, PTI scarlet jewel button, Martha Stewart branch punch and chunky glitter, petite scallop circle nestability, Fiskars corner punch